A recent controversy has arisen regarding the arrest and remand of Ravi Seneviratne, the current Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, based on an incident last year that is now believed to involve conspiratorial elements. The incident in question took place on October 28 of the previous year when Mr. Seneviratne was involved in a accident on the Wellawatte Marine Drive, which resulted in property damage but no personal injuries.
Mr. Seneviratne, while driving his jeep from Bambalapitiya towards Dehiwala, collided with a parked bus and car. No one was injured, and the damage was confined to the vehicles involved. The Wellawatta Police arrested Mr. Seneviratne for driving under the influence of alcohol and failing to avoid the accident. Even though the case was a bailable offense, what followed raised suspicions of foul play.
According to sources from the Police Headquarters, the arrest and remand of Mr. Seneviratne were part of a premeditated plan orchestrated by certain high-ranking officers and political figures. It is alleged that, at the time of the incident, a senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and a politician conspired to ensure Mr. Seneviratne was treated harshly. Even though C.D. Wickramaratne, who was the Inspector General of Police (IGP) at the time, intervened to grant him bail, these efforts were reportedly thwarted by this senior DIG and the politician.
Wickramaratne had made several attempts to prevent the unnecessary detention of Mr. Seneviratne. After learning of the accident, Wickramaratne instructed the Wellawatta Police to grant Mr. Seneviratne bail, given that the offense was bailable. He personally called the police station commander and other senior officers to insist on fair treatment, emphasizing Mr. Seneviratne’s distinguished service in the police. Despite his efforts, these orders were overridden by the senior DIG, who instructed that Seneviratne be remanded.
It was reported that shortly after Wickramaratne’s efforts to ensure bail, he was subjected to political pressure. A certain politician allegedly rebuked Wickramaratne for his involvement in securing bail for Mr. Seneviratne. As a result, despite numerous attempts to resolve the situation fairly, Mr. Seneviratne was remanded.
Now, the case is being re-investigated by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), which is looking into the events leading to Mr. Seneviratne’s remand and the potential conspiracy behind it. The investigation is examining the role played by various police officers and political figures in what is being described as a planned move to undermine Mr. Seneviratne.
There are rumors that this case, and Mr. Seneviratne’s involvement in it, may have broader political ramifications. Mr. Seneviratne is reportedly a central figure in organizing a group of retired police officers who are actively supporting President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. This collective has been instrumental in rallying support for Dissanayake’s political rise, which may have made Mr. Seneviratne a target for those opposed to the current administration.
The unfolding developments suggest that Mr. Seneviratne’s case may have been about more than just a car accident. If these allegations hold, this could point to a broader trend of political interference in Sri Lanka’s law enforcement, as well as potential efforts to destabilize key figures aligned with President Dissanayake. The re-investigation is expected to shed light on whether Mr. Seneviratne’s treatment was a result of legitimate legal concerns or a politically motivated attack designed to undermine his position.
